Decision makers

Tell Lawmakers to Support ENDA Now!

In most states, it's 100 percent legal to fire or refuse to hire someone based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act – the bill that would extend federal protections against workplace discrimination to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people – has been re-introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The clock is ticking. We need to build momentum for this crucial bill. Tell your members of Congress to cosponsor ENDA now!

I'm writing today about the critical support needed for the inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), introduced by Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) in the House (H.R. 1397), and Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the Senate.

Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired, or otherwise discriminated against just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states to discriminate based on sexual orientation, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression. As a result, LGBT people face serious discrimination in employment, including being fired, being denied a promotion and experiencing harassment on the job.

ENDA would provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This legislation simply affords to all Americans basic employment protection from discrimination based on irrational prejudice.

I'm writing as your constituent and as a supporter of the Human Rights Campaign to urge you to stand in support of this bill. If you have not yet done so, I ask that you cosponsor this critical legislation.